Colonel Thomas de Burgh (; ; 1670 – 18 December 1730), always named in his lifetime as Thomas Burgh, was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

military engineer Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications. Military engineers are also responsible for logistics b ...

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

, and Member of the Parliament of Ireland who served as

Surveyor General of Ireland The office of Surveyor General of Ireland was an appointed officer under the Dublin Castle administration of Ireland in the 17th and 18th centuries.McParland 1995 The Surveyor General was typically responsible for the surveying, design and construc ...

(1700–1730) and designed a number of the large public buildings of

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

including the old

Custom House A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting c ...

(1704–6),

Trinity College Library The Library of Trinity College Dublin () serves Trinity College and the University of Dublin. It is a legal deposit or "copyright library", under which, publishers in Ireland must deposit a copy of all their publications there, without charge ...

(1712–33),

Dr Steevens' Hospital Dr Steevens' Hospital (also called Dr Steevens's Hospital) ( ga, Ospidéal an Dr Steevens), one of Ireland's most distinguished eighteenth-century medical establishments, was located at Kilmainham in Dublin Ireland. It was founded under the terms ...

(1719), the Linen Hall (1722), and the Royal Barracks (1701 onwards).

Early life

Thomas Burgh was the son of Rt Rev

Ulysses Burgh Ulysses Burgh (; ; 1632–1692) was an Irish Anglican cleric who was Dean of Emly (1685–1692) and Bishop of Ardagh (1692).“A New History of Ireland” Moody,T.W; Martin,F.X; Byrne,F.J;Cosgrove,A: Oxford, OUP, 1976 Life Burgh was born ...

(d. 1692) of Drumkeen,

County Limerick "Remember Limerick" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Munster , subdivision ...

, who was

Dean of Emly The Dean of Emly was based at The Cathedral Church of St Alibeus, Emly in the former Diocese of Emly within the Church of Ireland. St Alibeus' cathedral was demolished in 1877. List of deans of Emly *1245–1251 Gilbert O'Doherty (Gilbertus)(aft ...

and later

Bishop of Ardagh The Bishop of Ardagh was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Ardagh, County Longford in the Republic of Ireland. It was used by the Roman Catholic Church until 1756, and intermittently by the Church of Ireland u ...

. His mother was Mary, daughter of William Kingsmill of Ballibeg,

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...

. His brothers, Richard Burgh of Dromkeen and Drumrusk and William Burgh of Bert House,

Athy Athy ( ; ) is a market town at the meeting of the River Barrow and the Grand Canal in south-west County Kildare, Ireland, 72 kilometres southwest of Dublin. A population of 9,677 (as of the 2016 census) makes it the sixth largest town in Kild ...

, were both Members of the Irish Parliament. Thomas was educated at Delany's school in

, and

Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

, where he matriculated on 22 November 1685 and left without taking a degree. Prior to the outbreak of the 1688 wars he is likely to have left Ireland for London with his father. He returned to Ireland in the army of

King William III William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 16508 March 1702), also widely known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from the ...

, as a lieutenant in Lord Lovelace's Regiment of Foot, and served at the Siege of Limerick. This may have been followed by a brief spell in the Irish Engineers from 1691. In any case, de Burgh was commissioned as a Captain in 1692 in the

Royal Regiment of Foot The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment line infantry, of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of England ...

. In this capacity, he served in the

Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...

at the Battles of Steenkerke (1692) and

Landen Landen () is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the city of Landen proper and the villages of Attenhoven, Eliksem, Eze ...

(1693), and as an engineer at the siege of Namur (1695). During this time, he absorbed the ideas of the Dutch engineer

Menno van Coehoorn Menno, Baron van Coehoorn (; March 1641 – 17 March 1704) was a Dutch soldier and engineer, regarded as one of the most significant figures in Dutch military history. In an era when siege warfare dominated military campaigns, he and his French ...

(1641–1740). In 1697, he became Third Engineer on the Irish establishment. In 1700, Burgh replaced the

, William Robinson, and, one year later, also became Barracks Overseer in Ireland. Under his command, the building of barracks was expanded and the rebuilding of

Dublin Castle Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the se ...

(begun under Robinson) was completed. The Royal House at

Chapelizod Chapelizod () is a village preserved within the city of Dublin, Ireland. It lies in the wooded valley of the River Liffey, near the Strawberry Beds and the Phoenix Park. The village is associated with Iseult of Ireland and the location of Iseult ...

(

County Dublin "Action to match our speech" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg , map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...

) and

Chichester House Chichester House or Carew's House was a building in College Green (formerly Hoggen Green), Dublin, Ireland, used in the 17th century to house the Parliament of Ireland. Originally built to be a hospital, it was never used as such. At one time ...

in Dublin were repaired as well as numerous coastal fortifications. As well as a Colonel of the Engineers (Lieutenant-Colonel, 11 April 1706), Burgh held a Captain's commission in Brasier's Regiment of Foot from 1707 to 1714.

Public life

In 1704, Burgh was admitted as a

freeman Freeman, free men, or variant, may refer to: * a member of the Third Estate in medieval society (commoners), see estates of the realm * Freeman, an apprentice who has been granted freedom of the company, was a rank within Livery companies * Free ...

of the

City of Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 cen ...

in recognition of his work in enriching Dublin's architecture. He was later admitted to the

Dublin Philosophical Society The Dublin Philosophical Society was founded in 1683 by William Molyneux with the assistance of his brother Sir Thomas Molyneux and the future Provost and Bishop St George Ashe. It was intended to be the equivalent of the Royal Society in Lond ...

. He served as Member of Parliament for Naas from 1713 to 1730 and as a government minister. He was appointed

High Sheriff of Kildare The High Sheriff of Kildare was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Kildare, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Kildare County Sheriff. Th ...

in 1712, Governor of the

Royal Hospital Kilmainham The Royal Hospital Kilmainham ( ga, Ospidéal Ríochta Chill Mhaighneann) in Kilmainham, Dublin, is a former 17th-century hospital at Kilmainham in Ireland. The structure now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art. History A priory, founded in 11 ...

in 1707 and served as a Trustee of

from 1717 to 1730. From 1705 to 1714, he was Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance for Ireland, an appointment which (held with that of Surveyor General) made him the most influential officer in the

Irish Board of Ordnance The Board of Ordnance in the Kingdom of Ireland (1542–1800) performed the equivalent duties of the British Board of Ordnance: supplying arms and munitions, overseeing the Royal Irish Artillery and the Irish Engineers, and maintaining the forti ...

. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the construction and renovation of all military buildings in Ireland as well as other public works. De Burgh had his commission successively renewed over the 27 years following his appointment as Surveyor General in 1700.

Architect

De Burgh was responsible for the design of several public buildings in Dublin: *

The Custom House The Custom House ( ga, Teach an Chustaim) is a neoclassical 18th century building in Dublin, Ireland which houses the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It is located on the north bank of the River Liffey, on Custom House Qua ...

(1704–6), (superseded by

James Gandon James Gandon (20 February 1743 – 24 December 1823) was an English architect best known for his work in Ireland during the late 18th century and early 19th century. His better known works include The Custom House and the surrounding Beresford ...

in 1791 further downriver) *

(1712–33) *

(1719) * Linen Hall (1722) * Royal Barracks (1701 onwards) * The Armoury,

Chapelizod House Chapelizod House, known as the Viceregal Lodge, was a late medieval residence in Chapelizod, at the time a village outside Dublin (but now a suburb) which in the 1680s was used as a temporary residence for the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland following ...

* St. Luke's Church, Dublin *

Collegiate School Celbridge Celbridge Collegiate School is a former Protestant girls school situated outside Celbridge in County Kildare in Ireland located 22 kilometres (13 miles) from Dublin. It was known as a nursery of teachers for the Church of Ireland training colle ...

* Ballyburley House Burgh was also responsible for the building of several churches, including St Mary's Church in Dublin 1 (now a Popular Café Bar & Restaurant) and St Werburgh's (1715). He is known to have built a number of private houses, most of which no longer exist, including the O'Brien family house at Dromoland,

County Clare County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,817 ...

, in about 1719. His own country house at Oldtown near

Naas Naas ( ; ga, Nás na Ríogh or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. In 2016, it had a population of 21,393, making it the second largest town in County Kildare after Newbridge. History The name of Naas has been recorded in th ...

County Kildare County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county, ...

, was the only building into which he introduced

Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

ideas. He acquired the land in 1696 and the house was built thirteen years later. His architectural style was otherwise "restrained" and notable mainly for massing on different planes, using a central five-bay front crowned by a large pediment, and arcading on the ground floor. Oldtown remained the family home, although a fire destroyed the original main house and a wing in the 1950s. He also designed Kildrought House in nearby

Celbridge Celbridge (; ) is a town and townland on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is west of Dublin. Both a local centre and a commuter town within the Greater Dublin Area, it is located at the intersection of the ...

. He worked on several engineering projects, including improvements to Dublin Harbour and the proposed

Newry Canal The Newry Canal, located in Northern Ireland, was built to link the Tyrone coalfields (via Lough Neagh and the River Bann) to the Irish Sea at Carlingford Lough near Newry. It was the first summit level canal to be built in Ireland or Great Br ...

, although this was not built until after his death. Burgh published a pamphlet entitled "A method to determine the areas of right-lined figures universally, very useful for ascertaining the contents of any survey" (Dublin, 1724). In 1728 Burgh lost the commission to build the new Parliament House in Dublin to

Edward Lovett Pearce Sir Edward Lovett Pearce (1699 – 7 December 1733) was an Irish architect, and the chief exponent of Palladianism in Ireland. He is thought to have initially studied as an architect under his father's first cousin, Sir John Vanbrugh. He is be ...

(1699–1733), who succeeded de Burgh as Surveyor General on his death, after an illness, in 1730.

Family

Burgh was married to Mary, a daughter of Rt Rev William Smyth,

Bishop of Kilmore The Bishop of Kilmore is an episcopal title which takes its name after the parish of Kilmore, County Cavan in Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishopr ...

, on 10 July 1700. They had five sons and four daughters. His townhouse was in

Dawson Street Dawson Street (; ) is a street on the southern side of central Dublin, running from St Stephen's Green to the walls of Trinity College Dublin. It is the site of the residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, the Mansion House. Location Dawson Stre ...

(now rebuilt) and his country estate was at Oldtown in

. He also owned lucrative collieries in

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...

. Their children were:Burke, E. (1912) ''Landed Gentry of Ireland'', London * Thomas Burgh (1707–1759), succeeded his father as MP for Naas * Colonel Theobald Burgh (b. 1709) * Ulysses Burgh (died 1742) * Rev John Burgh (died 1767), vicar of Donaghmore,

County Monaghan County Monaghan ( ; ga, Contae Mhuineacháin) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is part of Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Cou ...

Richard Burgh Richard Burgh (; ; 1725 – September 1762) was an Irish barrister and politician who was MP for Naas (1759–1762). Biography Burgh was the son of the military engineer and architect Colonel Thomas Burgh MP and his wife, Mary Smyth. He was ...

(died 1762), a barrister of Drumkeen,

, succeeded his brother as MP for Naas; he left much of his property to his sister Elizabeth's son Walter Hussey, who took the name Walter Hussey Burgh * Mary, who married a cousin, also named Thomas Burgh * Dorothea, who married as his second wife

Rt Hon ''The Right Honourable'' (abbreviation: ''Rt Hon.'' or variations) is an honorific style traditionally applied to certain persons and collective bodies in the United Kingdom, the former British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations. The term is ...

Anthony Foster (1705–1779),

Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer The Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer was the Baron (judge) who presided over the Court of Exchequer (Ireland). The Irish Court of Exchequer was a mirror of the equivalent court in England and was one of the four courts which sat in the buildin ...

in 1749 * Catherine (died 1797), who married Rev John Alcock, Dean of

Ferns A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except th ...

* Elizabeth (1705–1757), who married Ignatius Hussey, and was mother of the Rt Hon

Walter Hussey Burgh Walter Hussey Burgh SL (; ; 1742 – 1783) was an Irish statesman, barrister and judge who sat in the Irish House of Commons, served as Prime Serjeant (1777–79, 1782) and Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer (1782–83). He was considered t ...

MP PC (1742–1783),

, a leading member of the

Irish Patriot Party The Irish Patriot Party was the name of a number of different political groupings in Ireland throughout the 18th century. They were primarily supportive of Whig concepts of personal liberty combined with an Irish identity that rejected full inde ...

and a noted orator.

Surname

In 1848, Thomas Burgh's grandson

Ulysses Burgh, 2nd Baron Downes General Ulysses de Burgh, 2nd Baron Downes (15 August 1788 – 26 July 1864), was an Irish soldier and Tory politician. A General in the British Army, he served as Surveyor-General of the Ordnance under Lord Liverpool (1820–27) and, afte ...

was allowed to change the family surname to "de Burgh" by Royal Licence.

References

External links

List of works by Thomas de Burgh
''Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720–1940''

Gallery

File:Dr Steevens' Hospital.JPG,

File:Collins Barracks Museum courtyard west.jpg, Main Square of the (Royal) Collins Barracks, Dublin File:Stmarysdublin.JPG,

St Mary's Church, Mary Street, Dublin St. Mary's Church, Dublin is a former Church of Ireland building on the corner of Mary Street and Jervis Street, Dublin, and adjacent to Wolfe Tone Square. From the 17th century the church was a place of worship for parishioners on Dublin's nor ...

File:Kildrought House, Celbridge.jpg, Kildrought House,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

File:Trinity college library.jpg, Old Library Building,

File:To the very respectable the linen merchants and manufactures of Ireland, ... this perspective view of the Linen Hall in Dublin with the boxes and bales of linen ready for exportation, the LCCN2003674111.tif, A view of the

Linenhall, Dublin Linenhall is an area in the north inner city of Dublin, Ireland which was previously the site of a complex of buildings and streets associated with the linen trade. It was also temporarily a barracks, and was largely destroyed during the Easter R ...

from around 1782 by the engraver

Robert Pollard Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. (born October 31, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter who is the leader and creative force behind indie rock group Guided by Voices. In addition to his work with Guided by Voices, he continues to have a prol ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burgh, Thomas De 1670 births 1730 deaths Irish architects Irish military engineers Irish officers in the British Army Royal Scots officers House of Burgh British military personnel of the Nine Years' War Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Kildare constituencies Politicians from County Kildare Irish MPs 1713–1714 Irish MPs 1715–1727 Irish MPs 1727–1760 Politicians from County Limerick 17th-century Irish people

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

High Sheriffs of Kildare Surveyors General of Ireland